Cabrinha Race Series

[Jeff Ruoss]

Classic golden gate wind & current blessed the May 11th Cabrinha Race Thursday Night Race Series. Light wind at Crissy Field made it tough for competitors to get off the beach; "wait for a puff and launch" technique was the way to go.

Racers owe big thanks to the St. Francis Race Deck for moving the course out toward the ebb. This made it more difficult for spectators to see the action but with 35 competitors on the starting line how could you miss it? And it was a big improvement, because it put the racers in a more favorable current.

The first race started promptly at 5:30 with Chip Wasson rounding the windward mark first. I was only 10 feet behind him and opted to jibe away just after passing the mark. In my haste to get clear of Chip, I forgot about the small offset mark about 50 meters away that we also needed to leave to port. Even though I crossed the finish line first in this race, I let race committee know of my error and thus disqualified myself. What a disappointment! From 1st to 35th hurts; but, you have to be honest or what kind of a racer are you really? Chip took second to Adam Koch, and Anthony Chavez finished third.

Race two became more difficult as the current near the start-finish line was building making for more and more difficult tactics. Two kites got tangled on the down wind run; luckily, the race committee was there to sort it all out before the gear went through the start-finish line. Both competitors were fine. Struggling with my new race board down wind, I exploded three times on my downwind run and once spent quite some time retrieving my board. Adam took first again, Nils & Anthony 2nd & 3rd.

Race three proved to be a very interesting start as I came down the line on Starboard waiting for the gun. As I approached the pin end of the line, which was heavily favored, I was looking at about 10 racers coming straight at me on Port. Even though I had right-of-way, due to the numerous amount of sailors on Port, I was forced to jibe away to avoid a collision. But in the end everything worked out, and I finally had a 1st place finish, just ahead of Adam and Anthony in 2nd & 3rd.

Another big thanks to yacht club for assisting the racers in distress. There were a couple gear failures and the wind and current near shore made it very difficult for tired kiters to return to the beach. Their efficient support is much appreciated!

With the night's point totals tallied, Adam Koch placed first with 4 points, Anthony Chaves placed second with 9 points, and Chip Wasson placed third with 12 points. Great racing!

[charlie]

thanks for the low down ...
i hope i can get the low down after every race.?
keep up the good work. and ah jeff what are you ridding?
i know some of the flat boards are hard to screm down wind.

[Greg]

JEFF SAID: "Race three proved to be a very interesting start as I came down the line on Starboard waiting for the gun. As I approached the pin end of the line, which was heavily favored, I was looking at about 10 racers coming straight at me on Port. Even though I had right-of-way, due to the numerous amount of sailors on Port, I was forced to jibe away to avoid a collision. But in the end everything worked out, and I finally had a 1st place finish, just ahead of Adam and Anthony in 2nd & 3rd."

Jeff,
WHAT WAS YOUR OBJECTIVE with this STARBOARD START???
I think you've proven you can be a ligit WINNER without using infractions of the rules to intentionally DSQ the other riders.
Since you crossed the finish line FIRST I'm going to drop the subject. PLEASE DONT APPLY DIRTY YACHT RACING stradigy to The Kite Races,
Greg Boyington

[whitecap]

Ahh Greg -

I did not see the race, but 'dirty yacht racing' strategy is the whole point! I mean, that IS sailboat racing. You have to have rules, and if you break them, you are out! Otherwise, you have yachting anarchy! I mean, why not swing your kite over the downwind guy.....or overtake a guy however you want if there were no rules....? Chip knows the rules well from windsurfing etc....I think Adam has a sailing backround as well. I think all the port tackers owe Jeff the apology for messing up a classic start...I guess my point is that Jeff was more 'legit' than the other guys....can't diss someone for using the rules...

bob

[charlie]

'dirty yacht racing' strategy is the whole point!
and you have right away,i say SLAM on it there and let the committe short it out.

[Sander]

Yeah, you just have to keep screaming STARBOARD at the top of your lungs while the other guys yell HOLD YOUR COURSE and then argue about it at the committee meetings with little models of the kites/boards afterwards.

That's what I remember about racing sailboats.

Actually, seems like most racers like the committee meetings more than the races, but maybe the kitesurf racers haven't gotten into the lawyerly aspect yet

[andyandmarlys]

I don't think racing is necessarily about the fastest person, or the quickest person upwind.... Racing is about winning while not breaking rules... A starboard start is a strategy.... not against any rules at all.... Play the mental game of racing..... not the mamby pamsy crybaby tactic of "that was mean"..... Play the game... keep it safe... and have fun

[OliverG]

I found that getting a good start is crucial. I put myself in the wrong spot at the start of Race #1 and didn't have a chance. Tactics play an important role, for sure. Timed trials, for instance, wind providing, upwind to TI from Berkeley and back, something like that's where you find out who's fastest, quickest upwind and who exhibits superior sailing skills and stamina. Not that they don't in course racing, but there's much more factored in besides pure sailing and riding.

[Greg]

I'm not talking about being mean. What I'm saying is let the fleat get underway before you start your jib-a-thon!
My proposal to Jeff is to have all racers start port or stareboard tack, I dont care as long as they hold there course for a few hundred feet so people can spread out and let the rule take effect on individuals not a cluster-f&*%ed starting group...
We're kiters!, We're doing something new, do we have to use some old rule or can we set our own standards!!
So SHALL we let (all) the ponys run or what? Should this thing be about getting around the pins FASTEST or shall we start the Crash-Up Derby Series?? How happy are the bulk of the riders going to be when they get shafted off start only to then get rear-ended by the people that cant see whats really happening yet???
If people dont have fun or feel like they had a fair shot, will they keep coming back???....
L.M.G.

[andyandmarlys]

There will always be a favored end..... If everyone is starting on a port tack, then it will be just as crowded... probably more crowded... How do you propose everyone start on port without a cluster?

As far as whether people come back or not...... there were 35 racers last week.... The series is FULL .. I don't think there is a problem of people not coming back...